Multiple push switch



l15am. 7, 1ML D. s. KxMBALL MULTIPLE PUSH SWITCH Filed. Feb. 3, 1938 A IY.

Inventor:

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Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE PUSH SVVITCI-I York Application February s, 193s, serial No. 188,495

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to a multiple push switch for operation in combination with a multiplicity of electrical circuits.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved construction and arrangement in switches of this type, to provide means to prevent more than one electrical circuit from being operated at any one time, and to provide means to prevent simultaneous operation of a plurality of theelectrical circuits.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a plan View of the switch; Fig. `2 is a side view of the switch shown by Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a side view similar to Fig. 2 with part of the supporting structure broken away; Fig. 4 is an end View looking down from the top of Fig. 1 Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5--5 of Fig. l; Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the details of the switch mechanism on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 7 shows an application of the switch to a range panel, by

way of an` example.

Referring to the drawing, the switch comprises a base I having movable contact blades II securedthereto by means of screws I2. For coi operation with the movable blades a plurality of fixed blades I3 are provided at the other end of the base. The switch blades II and I3 are provided with cooperating contacts I4 and I5, respectively, which may vloe silvered; in addition, the blades are provided at their terminal ends with terminal screws I6 for connection to a. plurality of electric circuits. In order to support the switch mechanism, strips I I extend upwardly from each side of the base and carry a top plate I8 which is mounted on the inwardly bent ears I9 by a plurality of screws IS. To provide guiding means for the switch operating buttons 20 the top plate is provided with rectangular openl ings 2l which receive the buttons 28 and hold auf them in position. The buttons 20 are provided with flanges 22 which cooperate with the inner face of the` top plate to prevent the buttons from becoming displaced through the top` plate.

y The switch mechanism is mounted beneath the top plate and includes a plurality of plungers or slidable members 23. The plungers are placed in spaced parallel relationship with each other and are guided for sliding movement by the integral projections 24 extending through slots 25 disposed in the supporting strips Il. The plungers are connected to the operating buttons byV means of hollow sleeves 26 which are press fitted into recesses (not shown) in the operating buttons for a purpose to be described hereafter. In order to operate the flexible contact members (Cl. v200-l I4., the plungers are provided with fingers 2l. In the structure herein illustrated the fingers 21 iorrn part of insulating plates 28 secured to the lower .portions of the plungers 23. By this construction the pll/mgersv are yinsulated from` the 5 contact .blades I4 and I5.. Each of the plungers may be provided with Aone or more of the fingers 21 to cooperate with a corresponding contact member or members and this provision is made in accordance, with the circuit combination with which the switch is to be used. In the construction herein illustrated,` by way of an example, the iingersof the upper plungerlFig. 6) operate the rst, second and fourth Icontact members, those of lthe second plunger, the rst and third contact members, and those of the third plunger, the first and second contact members. It will be understood that other arrangements of the ngers may be resorted to within the scope of this invention.

Each side of the plungers is formed with a plurality of recesses 29 and 29 separated by a projecting cam surface 30. The recesses cooperate with' pivoted pawls 3I disposed on each side of the plungers. The pawls 3| are U-shaped and are secured to the rotatable shafts r32 which, in turn, are pivotally mounted in ears 33 extending from th-e side. walls Il. In order to lock any one of the plungers in operative position, i. e. with the fingers 2l coacting with the corresponding contact blades, the pawls extend longitudinally along'the sides of allv ofthe plungers and normally remain seated in the recesses 29 where they are held in engagement vwith the plungers by the springs 34.l The springs 34 are connected between the pawls and one is placed at each end of the pawls; It will be apparent that as any one of the plunger-s is depressed by operation of a button 20 that the cam surface 30 will deect the pawls against the action of the springs permitting the plunger to move from an inoperative to an operative position in which position the paWls become seated in the recesses 29, thereby holding the depressed plunger in depressed or operative position.

` 'A` releasing mechanism for the pawls is providedy in the form of extending arms 35 which are secured to the shafts 32 and which are provided with upwardly extending faces 36 for engagement with the fiange 3l forming part of a release Ybutton 38. The release button 38 is guided in an opening 2| in a manner similar tothe buttons 20. It will be apparent that depression of the button 38 will cause rotation of the shafts 32, thereby moving the pawls out of engagement with the recesses 29 to release the depressed piiuiger lor return to an inoperative position. The plunger is returned to inoperative position by means ci a spring seated in the sleeve and which is coi -pressed between the button 2G and an abutment head 40 formed on an arm 4l extending from a spider 42. The spider is provided with a plurality oi the arms 4i one extending under each of the plungers 23 and a spring Sii is disposed in each of the recesses in.

the buttons within sleeves between each of the arms iii and plungers 23.

In addition to providing a support for the return spring 39, the spider 42 provides a mechanism which prevents the switch plungers being operated more than one at a time and which, in addition, prevents sequential operation of the switch plungers without first releasing the previously operated plunger. To accomplish these results the spider is loosely mounted upon a supporting plate 43 and, more particularly, the spider rests in notches 44 formed in ears 45 which are bent up from the plate 43. The plate itself is supported from the top plates I8 by means of a 5 bolt 46 and nut 41, the bolt extending through an opening 48 disposed centrally of the spider. As one of the plungers is depressed by operation of a corresponding button 20, spring 39 will be compressed forcing down the corresponding arm 30 of the spider so that the spider 42 pivots about the remaining arms as fulcrum points to an inclined position, as shown by Fig. 4, with the arms bearing against the plungers and the depressed plunger being locked in operative position by the 35 pawls 3l. If now depression of another button is attempted, the spider cannot pivot about the remaining arms because it is held in an inclined position by the locked plunger and, accordingly, it is impossible to operate another plunger until 40 the originally depressed one is returned to an inoperative position. This is accomplished by depressing the release button 38. Operation of a plurality of the buttons simultaneously is likewise prevented by the spider 42. In such cases 45 the spider cannot tip to an inclined position and will be held in the notches 44 so that the plungers cannot be depressed suiiiciently far to operate the pawl locking means.

In the construction described the buttons 20 50 and 38 are arranged in a diamond pattern to provide a compact and accessible construction. However, it will be apparent that other arrangements of the operating buttons may be employed and that the number of plungers 23 and blades 55 ll may be increased or decreased at will. In order to limit movement of the spring blades Il an insulated stop bar 43 is disposed across the blades and is secured to the supports il by the screws 53.

60 The switch herein described may be used in Various ways to control the operation of different electrical circuits. One example of the use to which the device may be put is illustrated by Fig. 7 which shows the switch mounted upon 55 the panel of an electric range 5l. In this case the contact blades Il and I3 are so connected in circuit with the heating elements and power sources that the three plunger operating buttons give a medium, high and low heating value 70 to the range units. The release button is used as an off switch. The various settings of the switch are designated M, H, L and O on the range panel and a separate switch may be installed for each heating element, as shown 75 by Fig. 7.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a multiple switch, a base, a plurality of movable members mounted on said base for controlling electrical circuits, a plurality of spaced 5 parallel plungers for cooperating with certain of said members to control a corresponding electrical circuit, operating buttons connected to said plungers, supporting means, a spider pivotally mounted on said means and having arms cooper- 10 ating with each of said plungers, a spring disposed between each of said plungers and a corresponding arm to bias said plunger to inoperative position, a pawl engaging each of said plungers and holding any one in operative position, said spider pivoting upon movement of one of said plungers to operative position under the action of said spring to lock the remaining plungers in inoperative position, and manually operable means to release said holding pawl.

2. In a multiple switch, a base, a plurality of movable members mounted on said base for controlling electrical circuits, a plurality of spaced parallel plungers for cooperating with certain of said members to control a corresponding electrical circuit, operating buttons connected to said plungers, a plate having upstanding ears mounted on said base, a spider pivoted on said plate and having arms cooperating with each of said plungers, a spring disposed between each of said plungers and a corresponding arm to bias said plunger to inoperative position, a pawl engaging each of said plungers and holding any one in operative position, said spider pivoting about said ears upon movement of one of said plungers to operative position under the action of a corresponding spring to lock the remaining plungers in inoperative position, and manually operable means to release said holding pawl.

3. In a multiple switch, a base, a plurality of movable members mounted on said base for controlling electrical circuits, a plurality of movable plungers mounted on said base and adapted to operate certain of said members, a plate having a plurality of upstanding ears mounted on said base, a spider pivotally mounted on said plate and having arms engaging each of saidplungers,move ment of one of said plungers to operative posl tion causing said plunger to engage one of said arms to pivot the spider about said ears with the remaining arms cooperating with the remaining plungers to lock them in inoperative position whereby movement of them is prevented as long as said one plunger is in operative position.

4. In a multiple switch, a base, a plurality of movable members mounted on said base for controlling electrical circuits, a plurality of movable plungers mounted on said base and adapted to operate certain of said members, a. plate having upstanding ears mounted on said base, a spider pivotally supported by said ears and having arms cooperating with each of said plungers and springs interconnecting said plungers and arms, movement of one of said plungers to operative position causing depression of a corresponding arm through the medium of a respective spring to pivot the spider about said ears with the remaining arms compressing the respective springs against the remaining plungers to lock them in inoperative position. 5. In a multiple switch, a base, a plurality of movable members mounted on said base for controlling eleotrical circuits, a plurality of movable plungers mounted on said base and adapted to operate certain of said members, releasable means holding any one of said plungers in operative position, a spider pivotally mounted on said base, said spider having arms engaging each of said plungers, said spider pivoting about said base upon movement of any one oi. said plungers to operative position with the respective arms cooperating With the remaining plungers to prevent movement of them to operative position as long as said one plunger remains in operative position under the influence of said holding means.

6. In a switch, a base, a plurality of movable circuit controlling members, a plurality of spaced movable plungers mounted on said base and adapted to operate certain of said members, manual releasable means holding any one of said plungers in operative position, a spider pivotally mounted on said base, said spider having radially extending arms engaging a corresponding one of said plungers, said spider pivoting about said base upon movement of any one of said plungers to operative position with the respective arms cooperating with the remaining plungers to prevent movement of them to operative position as long 10 as said one plunger is retained in operative position by said holding means.

DONALD G. KIMBALL. 

